Ghislaine Le on leading InterContinental Phu Quoc to record revenue through Vietnamese values

A mentor once told her, “Vietnamese people have something very special.” Ghislaine Le understood this as a spirit passed down through generations, born of history and hardship. Yet only when she began working and succeeding in Vietnam did the meaning truly resonate. “I don’t do this for fame. I don’t need a big ego. I’m happiest when my team calls me ‘big sister’, something simple, but full of pride and very… Vietnamese. That’s worth more than any title.”

Indeed, the staff affectionately call her “sister Gigi” a title reflecting the warmth and connection so intrinsic to Vietnamese culture. And rightly so: she is seen everywhere in the resort, every day, from the lobby to the kitchen, from the poolside to the technical room. A leader’s presence, she believes, is a promise to ensure her team feel seen, heard and empowered.

For Gigi, a true leader is first and foremost committed, viewing their workplace as “home”. “Imagine this is your business. Would you waste your own time? No. So value it as if you were your own boss.”

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Gigi’s leadership also embodies a distinctly Vietnamese spirit: welcoming everyone as family. She recalls what she calls a “small but revolutionary” change: “On my first day, I walked along the beach and noticed many employees didn’t greet me. They thought silence showed respect. But I said no, respect means greeting everyone, whoever they are. Even if you say hello 20 times a day to the same person, it’s fine. Each hello says: ‘We are happy to serve you.’ Now even the landscaping team, who spend their days among the trees and lawns, have caught that spirit.”

To Gigi, “leading from the heart” is more than a motto. In an industry defined by precision, she champions sincerity over perfection, a philosophy she calls “Imperfectly Perfect”. “When you invest in people and identity, results come naturally.”

It becomes clear why she, a Vietnamese who has lived across continents, chose Phu Quoc as her place to return to. Under her leadership, InterContinental Phu Quoc radiates positivity and warmth as it enters its seventh year of operation.

It’s worth noting that Gigi didn’t begin with formal hospitality training. Her first job was as a public area cleaner at the Disneyland Hotel in France, a summer job to earn pocket money. Twenty years later, that humble start still shapes her approach: she knows that every role, no matter how small, is vital to the grand machinery of a hotel.

Another defining feature of the resort is this very “sense of place”. Gigi has cultivated a cultural pride among her colleagues, helping them understand the importance of loving where they work. She teaches her young team, many of whom have never left the island, how to tell Vietnam’s story through every detail: the sand wall evoking the 20km-long beach, the pool chairs inspired by fishermen’s fish sauce vats, even napkins folded into lotus blooms. “Guests won’t sense these things on their own,” she explains. “We have to tell them the story.”

That heart-driven effort has imbued every corner of the resort with soul, so that each guest leaves carrying a piece of its spirit, a treasure more meaningful than numbers on a balance sheet.

Gradually, her team came to understand that “luxury” doesn’t mean “foreign”, but rather the elevation of familiar values such as care, respect and connection to a refined standard.

“In Vietnam, we are used to modest living. A good meal and family are enough,” she says. “That’s beautiful. But if we want to make our mark in luxury hospitality, we must learn how to express refinement. Not to flaunt wealth, but to show style, grace and cultural depth.”

For Gigi, the true joy of leadership is “seeing my Phu Quoc team, the island’s honest sons and daughters, showing the world the beauty of their homeland.”

Leadership often demands tough decisions. Yet Gigi has never felt alone. To her, being a general manager is not about commanding from above, but standing alongside her people. “I want to be present not as an overseer, but as a partner,” she says, her eyes bright with conviction.

Indeed, at InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort, the very property she helped lead to record revenue, Gigi acts as a bridge. She never decides in isolation. Every step is discussed with the executive team, grounded in context and guided by deep respect for the investors who poured their dreams into the resort.

“It’s their property, their vision. My responsibility is to bring it to life, but I can’t do it alone.” She believes in dialogue, consensus, and most of all, presence: being physically, mentally and emotionally there.

That philosophy may seem counterintuitive in today’s world of KPIs and endless meetings. Yet for Gigi, it’s fundamental: a leader’s presence is her team’s assurance that they are seen, heard and supported.

When asked whether women leaders should be “soft”, she laughs. “I don’t think we’re soft. Sometimes we’re tougher, we just smile when we make decisions.”

Her words are light, but her meaning runs deep. Gigi doesn’t hide emotion. “I’m vulnerable too, and I don’t hide it. Even now, talking to you, I feel emotional.”

That’s her distinction. She doesn’t pretend to be flawless. “I tell my team I’m human, so I understand when they make mistakes.”

Her approach is telling. She doesn’t rush to punish. “I look them in the eye. If they meet my gaze and say ‘I’m sorry’, I accept it. But if they avoid it, I know it’s not honest.”

Looking to the younger generation of leaders, Gigi advises: take your time. Time to experience, to listen, truly listen; and to meet people face to face. “Many think texting is enough to communicate. It’s not. Real connection happens in person. The energy you exchange can’t be replaced.”

For her, hospitality is an emotional craft. If future leaders lose the ability to connect emotionally, they lose the industry’s soul. “You might succeed for a while. But in the long term, you’ll lose your identity.”

Perhaps that’s why Gigi remains so devoted to her work. It’s a passion, she says, that matures like fine wine.

Her team remembers her not only for leading the resort to its highest revenue, but for the energy she brings, the warmth of ‘sister Gigi’. They laugh when she slips into Vietnamese, finding it endearing; yet they respect her strength. That balance of authenticity, quick thinking, and emotional agility is what she cherishes most.

As our conversation draws to a close, I can’t help asking: why is it still so rare to see a Vietnamese woman leading a global luxury property?

She answers, candidly: “When you can, go out into the world. Work, learn, travel, then come back. Only then will you know your true capabilities and limits.”

For her, international experience is essential not necessarily in Europe or America, but anywhere in Southeast Asia where one can learn and grow. For Ghislaine Le, going abroad is not to leave her roots behind, but to return with broader vision.

No matter how far she goes, she remains steadfast in her belief in the unique strengths of Asian people, especially in hospitality. “Asian hospitality is the best in the world,” she says. “It’s born from culture, from nature, from the way we’re raised to welcome guests and make them feel at home.”

And perhaps when we go far, we understand more deeply the value of what we’ve inherited. Leaving to return, carrying global confidence and the tenderness of home, that is the journey that created ‘Sister Gigi’: a general manager who not only runs a five-star resort, but inspires a new generation of Vietnamese to dare, to feel, to lead and to return home to write their own story.

This story was adapted from the original feature published in Tatler Vietnam, August 2025 issue.

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